Allen Jackson - The Return of the King (Part 1)

May 6, 2026 | 27:29

Pastor Allen Jackson's mission is to help people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.

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Allen Jackson Ministries | Allen Jackson - The Return of the King (Part 1) | May 6, 2026
  • ...
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  • Allen jackson: one of my heroes in the bible is saul of tarsus.
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  • He becomes the apostle paul.
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  • I know you know his story.
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  • He's written two-thirds of our new testament by title,
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  • And one of the most remarkable characters
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  • We meet in all of the scripture.
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  • He was a pharisee with a remarkable education, brilliant
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  • Mind, and he hated jesus and jesus followers.
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  • Until he met jesus one day.
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  • He's on the road to damascus, and jesus interrupts his life,
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  • And he becomes the apostle paul, one of the most powerful voices
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  • For jesus that history has ever known.
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  • We put together a 90-day devotional.
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  • It's "lessons from paul."
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  • I'm still learning from paul, and i just wanted to share it
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  • With you.
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  • There's a little--there's a scripture verse.
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  • There's a bit of a devotional.
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  • There's a place for some journaling.
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  • It's really intended to provide some direction so that you and i
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  • Become overcomers.
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  • Overcomers of our past, overcomers of the opposition in
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  • The present.
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  • Doesn't matter what the adversary is, the power of god
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  • That delivered paul, he'll deliver you and me.
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  • I believe you'll enjoy lessons from paul.
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  • [music]
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  • Allen: we've been working through a short series on what's
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  • Ahead, really prompted out of--i had a series of questions over a
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  • Couple of weeks from either emails that i was given
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  • On "aj now" or some other formats where people had
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  • A lot of questions and honestly, a lot of fear
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  • About some little perspectives on the biblical prophetic
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  • Perspective on what is ahead of us.
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  • Like what will we do when the mark of the beast is implemented
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  • And we're shut out of the marketplace?
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  • And there was so much fear.
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  • And so, i thought we'd come back and pick this up.
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  • So, this is the third in the series.
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  • We began by talking about why we don't have to be afraid, and we
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  • Looked at some biblical characters that walked through
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  • Periods when there was some tremendous judgment that god
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  • Visited on his people.
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  • Jeremiah was a prophet in jerusalem when god brought the
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  • Babylonians to destroy the city and destroy the temple as
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  • Judgment upon the hearts of his people, not because of
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  • Babylonian military prowess, but because god handed his people
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  • Over to them.
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  • You see, if we stand in the place that god wants for us, we
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  • Have his protection.
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  • He's our strong tower, our rock.
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  • And so, i'm not saying that it's always easy or always fun, but
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  • We don't have to live in fear of what's ahead of us.
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  • We really don't.
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  • Now, we have to be willing to follow the lord.
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  • If you're not following the lord, you should be terrified.
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  • That's a terrifying thing to be responsible for navigating
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  • Your way.
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  • And so, we spent a session on that, and then we took the
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  • Previous session and we talked a bit about the characteristics of
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  • The season as we approach the end of this age.
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  • The current age, the present world order, the bible is very
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  • Clear, will come to a conclusion.
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  • Time in scripture is linear.
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  • Genesis 1:1: "in the beginning."
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  • If you start a story with the beginning, it's a point
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  • Of logic that there will be a conclusion, and there will be a
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  • Conclusion to this present age.
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  • It doesn't mean it's the end of god's dealing with adam and his
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  • Descendants, but this present world order and the systems that
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  • It holds in place will come to a conclusion.
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  • And so, we looked at the characteristics of
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  • Those seasons.
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  • In this session, i want to look at some of the events that are
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  • Associated with the return of jesus, thus the title, "the
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  • Return of the king."
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  • You know, he's coming back.
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  • It's not a threat.
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  • Truthfully, we--you know, typically in a--in a group of
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  • Biblically informed people, you get kind of a positive response
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  • To that.
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  • But between where we st--where we are today and his return, we
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  • Have some choppy water.
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  • Okay, i'm all right with that.
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  • If that's how we get here, it's--i mean, jesus used
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  • Birth pains.
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  • You know, the people that seem to celebrate pregnancy and
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  • Births are the people that have already done it.
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  • Right?
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  • 'cause they've--the outcome has been a blessing and the people
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  • In the midst of that, you know, they have other adjectives in
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  • All of that.
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  • And so if we happen to be in the midst of that season that is
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  • Like pregnant and birth pains and deliveries, those are
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  • Traumatic times, frightening times, vulnerable times, all of
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  • Those things are a part of that.
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  • I grew up in a veterinarian's home, and they were constantly
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  • Bringing animals to us that were in that season because they
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  • Recognized it was a more perilous time.
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  • They--sometimes they needed expertise or help, and i think
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  • To walk through that season, we need to understand we're gonna
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  • Need help beyond ourselves.
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  • Because something is breaking forth, something is bursting
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  • Forth, something that's emerging that is beyond us, beyond our
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  • Imagination, with incredible potential.
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  • Now, this session just--i doubt we're gonna finish all of this.
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  • There's probably one more session in this.
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  • I wrote it as three, but it's probably gonna take one more.
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  • Because i wonder.
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  • It's just better to confess.
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  • But the events associated with jesus's return, if you've been
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  • Around here a bit, you've heard before, i don't have a chart.
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  • I'm not opposed to them.
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  • I've read many, i've studied several.
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  • I've had friends that build charts.
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  • I had a friend that spent his whole life on a chart.
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  • One of the most brilliant biblical scholars i've
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  • Ever known.
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  • I wasn't even smart enough to read his chart.
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  • I mean, it was a very impressive piece of work.
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  • He was--it was old school.
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  • I mean, he had it on butcher paper.
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  • It was--i mean, you needed a big wall to put it on.
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  • And i don't have a chart.
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  • In fact, i want to present these things as a part of the--what i
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  • Understand the scriptures say, describes the events that are
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  • Associated with that season when jesus returns.
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  • But i'm not trying to arrange them in order because i
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  • Don't know.
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  • Don't send me an email.
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  • You know, i could argue multiple positions from scripture with
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  • Some conviction.
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  • And i--some things that i carry in--at least in my own heart,
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  • That the lord gives us enough information to be prepared, but
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  • I don't have to be the--like the glossary with the exact
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  • Presentation of everything, so i can hold these things somewhat
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  • More lightly without feeling like i have violated
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  • My intellect.
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  • And if you prefer another approach, i'm okay with that.
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  • I love you.
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  • But i can tell you with some certainty that the scripture
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  • Tells us this set of things will be a part of this season.
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  • And what i would encourage you to do is to let the holy spirit
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  • Focus your attention on what he wants to show you.
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  • And i'm amazed, every time i make a presentation, i'll talk
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  • To a dozen or more people at the end of that, and they will tell
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  • Me what they heard.
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  • And if i talked to a dozen people, they heard 30
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  • Different things, typically none of which were my intent.
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  • And once i got over the disappointment of that,
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  • I understood that the lord helps us hear what we need.
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  • And so i also know from scripture, you know, jesus was
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  • Very direct with his closest friends and followers, his most
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  • Committed followers, about what would happen at the end of
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  • His life.
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  • He said, "we're going to jerusalem.
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  • I'll be betrayed, i'll be arrested.
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  • I'll be tortured."
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  • He told them all this stuff, and yet when it happened, it was
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  • Like it was a complete brand-new experience.
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  • They were completely unprepared.
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  • So, i carry this sense that as we walk through some of these
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  • Things, the scope and magnitude of the change and the
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  • Uncertainty of it and the turmoil that comes, even with
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  • The--all the preparation we can do, there's gonna be that sense
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  • Of, "wow, i didn't know it was gonna be like this."
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  • I've told you this story before, a young couple that had--in the
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  • Church, true story, they had a--you know, a couple, it was
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  • Their first child, and when they--we visited them in the
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  • Hospital, and i saw him at church that next weekend,
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  • And i saw the young man, and i saw him in the lobby.
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  • I said, how are you doing? how are you doing?
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  • And he looked at me and he was so serious.
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  • He said, "pastor, i guess we're okay, but they made us leave and
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  • We weren't ready to go home."
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  • I think he did like two or three weeks of a little bit of
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  • Hospital support.
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  • And i think there's gonna be a little bit of that in us as we
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  • Walk through some of this.
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  • It's like, lord, you told us it was coming, but wow.
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  • And we have to keep our focus on the outcome.
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  • There's a whole new kingdom coming.
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  • And a whole new world order coming.
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  • Change is not easy.
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  • It's just seldom easy.
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  • So, we're gonna walk through some of these.
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  • I'll start with the resurrection and the judgment of
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  • True christians.
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  • The--this--the word that gets so much attention and so much
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  • Discussion is "rapture," and i don't want to go too far down
  • 00:08:26.598 --> 00:08:29.401
  • That rabbit hole.
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  • You'll hear people say, you know, it's a word that's not in
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  • The bible.
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  • Well, that's kind of true.
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  • There's some translations that use it and there's some
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  • That don't.
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  • There is a greek word used that means a sudden, almost violent
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  • Snatching or catching away, which is what the word "rapture"
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  • Tends to suggest.
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  • So if someone says to you, "it's not a word in the bible," you
  • 00:08:49.988 --> 00:08:52.390
  • Go, okay.
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  • I mean, i'm like, i'm good with that.
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  • I'm just gonna get snatched away at some point.
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  • I don't--i'm not gonna argue nomenclature, but in 1
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  • Thessalonians 4 in verse 15, we get kind of a window into this.
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  • It says: "according to the lord's own word, we tell you
  • 00:09:03.969 --> 00:09:06.338
  • That we who are still alive, we who are left till the coming of
  • 00:09:06.338 --> 00:09:09.174
  • The lord."
  • 00:09:09.174 --> 00:09:10.575
  • So, the church, the new testament church, the early
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  • Church is anticipating the return of the lord.
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  • We still are.
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  • "will certainly not precede those who've fallen asleep.
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  • For the lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud
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  • Command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet
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  • Call of god, and the dead in christ will rise first.
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  • And after that, we who are still alive and are left will be
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  • Caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the lord in
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  • The air.
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  • And so we'll be with the lord forever.
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  • Therefore encourage each other with these words."
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  • So, you've got a--you've got a biblical assignment to have a
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  • Little note of encouragement tucked in your heart.
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  • When you see somebody walking through a difficult season or
  • 00:09:51.282 --> 00:09:53.818
  • You see a difficult season approaching us, i get emails
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  • Almost every week from people telling me, you know, that the
  • 00:09:56.721 --> 00:09:58.657
  • Systems are about to collapse.
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  • And i think, well, all right, if they do, i'm getting ready for
  • 00:10:02.894 --> 00:10:06.898
  • The return of the king.
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  • You know, i don't always know what next is gonna be, but if
  • 00:10:09.334 --> 00:10:12.037
  • The babylonians breach the wall and they tear down the temple,
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  • God will provide for us.
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  • I trust him.
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  • I don't think that means we should be reckless or foolish or
  • 00:10:19.377 --> 00:10:22.113
  • Unaware, but i don't think we have to live lives that are
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  • Paralyzed or that we avoid.
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  • The more common reaction is to avoid the current culture
  • 00:10:26.718 --> 00:10:31.156
  • Because it's intrusive to us, it's unsettling to us,
  • 00:10:31.156 --> 00:10:35.093
  • It seems difficult, it seems to be an expression of darkness,
  • 00:10:35.093 --> 00:10:37.796
  • And all of those things can be true, but we better be aware
  • 00:10:37.796 --> 00:10:41.232
  • Or we're not prepared to be light and salt.
  • 00:10:41.232 --> 00:10:44.069
  • Now, i can tell you from that passage in 1 thessalonians 4
  • 00:10:44.069 --> 00:10:46.805
  • That it's not a secret rapture.
  • 00:10:46.805 --> 00:10:50.175
  • You know, it's because it describes it.
  • 00:10:50.175 --> 00:10:52.110
  • There'll be a loud command, the voice of an archangel, and a
  • 00:10:52.110 --> 00:10:54.412
  • Trumpet call.
  • 00:10:54.412 --> 00:10:55.780
  • Nothing about that seems secretive to me.
  • 00:10:55.780 --> 00:10:59.084
  • If an angel shout and blows a trumpet, folks, that's not the
  • 00:10:59.084 --> 00:11:01.653
  • Way to sneak up on people.
  • 00:11:01.653 --> 00:11:05.390
  • The latin word in that passage is--it means caught up.
  • 00:11:05.390 --> 00:11:08.793
  • It's something that's forcibly seized, as i said.
  • 00:11:08.793 --> 00:11:10.962
  • In greek, it's a sudden, forceful grab.
  • 00:11:10.962 --> 00:11:13.898
  • Jesus is going to reach down and forcefully grab his people.
  • 00:11:13.898 --> 00:11:19.471
  • The biblical imagery that i think is helpful is the thief
  • 00:11:19.471 --> 00:11:21.906
  • Takes what doesn't belong to him.
  • 00:11:21.906 --> 00:11:23.908
  • Jesus is only gonna take what belongs to him.
  • 00:11:23.908 --> 00:11:27.278
  • You want to live every day fully prepared to meet the king.
  • 00:11:27.278 --> 00:11:31.382
  • That's not a threat.
  • 00:11:31.382 --> 00:11:32.717
  • That shouldn't be perceived as intimidating.
  • 00:11:32.717 --> 00:11:35.954
  • You know, i want to live every day to honor the commitment i
  • 00:11:35.954 --> 00:11:38.690
  • Made to my wife.
  • 00:11:38.690 --> 00:11:40.024
  • I'm not looking for days to make a lesser commitment.
  • 00:11:40.024 --> 00:11:42.994
  • You know, "tuesdays and thursdays, i'm really committed.
  • 00:11:42.994 --> 00:11:47.699
  • Friday's kind of a free day."
  • 00:11:47.699 --> 00:11:50.034
  • I mean, that's messed up.
  • 00:11:50.034 --> 00:11:51.970
  • And but yet we sometimes, we walk some of these things
  • 00:11:51.970 --> 00:11:54.472
  • Through our relationship with the lord.
  • 00:11:54.472 --> 00:11:56.207
  • I think we ignore the idea sometimes because we really just
  • 00:11:56.207 --> 00:11:58.777
  • Don't believe in god's power.
  • 00:11:58.777 --> 00:12:01.679
  • You know, we have distilled our faith down to the point that
  • 00:12:01.679 --> 00:12:03.882
  • It's principally an intellectual exercise.
  • 00:12:03.882 --> 00:12:06.785
  • Almost as if we imagine there'll be an entrance exam.
  • 00:12:06.785 --> 00:12:11.055
  • And we've pushed the power of god so far to the periphery, and
  • 00:12:11.055 --> 00:12:13.625
  • I think we've had that privilege because we've lived with so much
  • 00:12:13.625 --> 00:12:16.427
  • Freedom and liberty and abundance.
  • 00:12:16.427 --> 00:12:18.830
  • We don't really have to learn to believe in healing because we've
  • 00:12:18.830 --> 00:12:20.698
  • Had such amazing healthcare available to us.
  • 00:12:20.698 --> 00:12:23.468
  • We haven't had to trust god for the future of our children as
  • 00:12:23.468 --> 00:12:26.271
  • Fully because they've had so many opportunities.
  • 00:12:26.271 --> 00:12:28.606
  • In fact, we have so many opportunities, it leads us
  • 00:12:28.606 --> 00:12:30.542
  • Towards mediocrity.
  • 00:12:30.542 --> 00:12:32.243
  • The more options you have, the greater, much greater the
  • 00:12:32.243 --> 00:12:34.579
  • Tendency that you'll be mediocre at everything.
  • 00:12:34.579 --> 00:12:38.616
  • And so, we really haven't had to believe in the power of god, but
  • 00:12:38.616 --> 00:12:41.786
  • I believe between where we are and the return of the king, we
  • 00:12:41.786 --> 00:12:45.223
  • Won't flourish without the power of god as a part of the journey.
  • 00:12:45.223 --> 00:12:49.327
  • [music]
  • 00:12:49.327 --> 00:12:52.730
  • Allen: you know, around the world, people are searching
  • 00:12:55.767 --> 00:12:57.702
  • For truth.
  • 00:12:57.702 --> 00:12:59.070
  • And together, we're doing our very best to help them find it.
  • 00:12:59.070 --> 00:13:01.873
  • When you become a ministry partner with allen jackson
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  • Ministries, you're joining a growing community of believers
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  • Who are committed to strengthening the church and
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  • Sharing god's word through every available channel television,
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  • Radio, podcast, books, bible studies, digital
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  • Resources, conferences.
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  • Your monthly partnership helps us equip believers to reach new
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  • Audiences and to take the hope of jesus to people who may never
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  • Have heard the gospel otherwise.
  • 00:13:26.931 --> 00:13:29.100
  • Together we can stand firm in our faith and make god's truth
  • 00:13:29.100 --> 00:13:33.004
  • Known right here at home and around the earth, wherever god
  • 00:13:33.004 --> 00:13:36.207
  • Opens the door.
  • 00:13:36.207 --> 00:13:37.542
  • Let's keep gathering his people and building his church until
  • 00:13:37.542 --> 00:13:40.712
  • The day our king returns.
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  • You can find more about becoming a ministry partner
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  • At allenjackson.com/partner.
  • 00:13:46.084 --> 00:13:49.254
  • [music]
  • 00:13:49.254 --> 00:13:54.225
  • Allen: and so, i put a couple of passages in there that i think
  • 00:13:56.194 --> 00:13:58.529
  • Just remind us of--it's matthew 27.
  • 00:13:58.529 --> 00:14:01.099
  • This was jesus's crucifixion.
  • 00:14:01.099 --> 00:14:03.368
  • This is when the centurion found his voice.
  • 00:14:03.368 --> 00:14:05.737
  • He said: "at the moment the curtain of the temple was torn
  • 00:14:05.737 --> 00:14:08.206
  • In two," this is when jesus gave up his spirit.
  • 00:14:08.206 --> 00:14:11.442
  • "and the earth shook and the rocks split.
  • 00:14:11.442 --> 00:14:12.844
  • And the tombs broke open, and the bodies of many holy people
  • 00:14:12.844 --> 00:14:15.613
  • Who had died were raised to life.
  • 00:14:15.613 --> 00:14:17.682
  • They came out of the tombs, and after jesus' resurrection they
  • 00:14:17.682 --> 00:14:19.918
  • Went into the holy city and appeared to many people."
  • 00:14:19.918 --> 00:14:22.587
  • That's a fascinating passage to me.
  • 00:14:22.587 --> 00:14:24.422
  • Resurrections are a part of the biblical narrative.
  • 00:14:24.422 --> 00:14:26.391
  • Old testament, new testament.
  • 00:14:26.391 --> 00:14:28.493
  • You can probably list several yourself.
  • 00:14:28.493 --> 00:14:30.461
  • This is unique because it wasn't a resurrection.
  • 00:14:30.461 --> 00:14:32.530
  • It says the bodies of many holy people were raised to
  • 00:14:32.530 --> 00:14:35.033
  • Life again.
  • 00:14:35.033 --> 00:14:36.367
  • The tombs broke open.
  • 00:14:36.367 --> 00:14:38.169
  • I mean, that'll make a scene.
  • 00:14:38.169 --> 00:14:39.537
  • The roman centurion, when all this has happened, it's says,
  • 00:14:39.537 --> 00:14:41.806
  • When he saw what happened, he couldn't see the curtain being
  • 00:14:41.806 --> 00:14:45.143
  • Torn in the temple, that was inside a structure.
  • 00:14:45.143 --> 00:14:47.145
  • He had no way of knowing that or even understanding that.
  • 00:14:47.145 --> 00:14:49.847
  • It's possible that he could have seen tombs breaking open because
  • 00:14:49.847 --> 00:14:53.685
  • The roman centurion, this hardhearted executioner, this
  • 00:14:53.685 --> 00:14:56.321
  • Murderous man said, "surely, this man was the son of god."
  • 00:14:56.321 --> 00:15:00.892
  • God's power is different than we've expected.
  • 00:15:00.892 --> 00:15:04.696
  • Really.
  • 00:15:04.696 --> 00:15:06.030
  • I mean, i don't--i don't have a way to get my brain to go there,
  • 00:15:06.030 --> 00:15:08.399
  • But i spend time on a regular--but almost daily if i
  • 00:15:08.399 --> 00:15:11.402
  • Can, to try to think of things that invite me to imagine the
  • 00:15:11.402 --> 00:15:14.572
  • Power of god is greater than i've understood it to be.
  • 00:15:14.572 --> 00:15:17.842
  • I try to follow my friends through the pages of the bible
  • 00:15:17.842 --> 00:15:20.211
  • And think, you know, how did they process that?
  • 00:15:20.211 --> 00:15:22.380
  • How did they do it? how do they know?
  • 00:15:22.380 --> 00:15:24.983
  • How do they understand? how do they have the courage?
  • 00:15:24.983 --> 00:15:27.752
  • I don't wanna be just a church christian.
  • 00:15:27.752 --> 00:15:32.724
  • I wanna be one of the people of god that he can--
  • 00:15:32.724 --> 00:15:34.759
  • He put every--anywhere.
  • 00:15:34.759 --> 00:15:40.598
  • But i don't know if you caught it or not.
  • 00:15:40.598 --> 00:15:42.266
  • It's an intriguing verse.
  • 00:15:42.266 --> 00:15:43.735
  • I have questions when i get to hear the whole story.
  • 00:15:43.735 --> 00:15:46.671
  • "tombs broke open and the bodies of holy men had raised to life.
  • 00:15:46.671 --> 00:15:49.107
  • They came out of the tombs, and after jesus' resurrection, they
  • 00:15:49.107 --> 00:15:51.609
  • Went into the holy city."
  • 00:15:51.609 --> 00:15:52.977
  • They went into jerusalem.
  • 00:15:52.977 --> 00:15:54.312
  • They didn't go into jerusalem right after the jesus gave up
  • 00:15:54.312 --> 00:15:57.315
  • His spirit.
  • 00:15:57.315 --> 00:15:58.649
  • He's not gonna be raised from the dead for a bit yet.
  • 00:15:58.649 --> 00:16:00.685
  • Where'd they go?
  • 00:16:00.685 --> 00:16:02.920
  • I'll give you my opinion.
  • 00:16:02.920 --> 00:16:04.889
  • I think they played rook for three days.
  • 00:16:04.889 --> 00:16:09.427
  • I have no idea.
  • 00:16:09.427 --> 00:16:11.929
  • We don't know.
  • 00:16:11.929 --> 00:16:13.264
  • We don't get the whole story.
  • 00:16:13.264 --> 00:16:15.900
  • We don't get the whole story.
  • 00:16:15.967 --> 00:16:18.336
  • Sometimes we read the bible as if--if we read it carefully
  • 00:16:18.336 --> 00:16:21.139
  • Enough, and we look at all the right places, and we learn all
  • 00:16:21.139 --> 00:16:23.141
  • The original languages, that we will get it all.
  • 00:16:23.141 --> 00:16:26.944
  • No.
  • 00:16:26.944 --> 00:16:28.546
  • That's not what the pre--this is a presentation that tells us
  • 00:16:28.546 --> 00:16:32.250
  • There's a creator god, that he created humanity.
  • 00:16:32.250 --> 00:16:36.687
  • And it tells us how adam and his descendants could have a
  • 00:16:36.687 --> 00:16:39.190
  • Relationship with almighty god if we're interested.
  • 00:16:39.190 --> 00:16:42.527
  • It's not a full explanation of the earth and everything
  • 00:16:42.527 --> 00:16:45.196
  • That's here.
  • 00:16:45.196 --> 00:16:46.564
  • It's not a full explanation of all that god's been engaged in.
  • 00:16:46.564 --> 00:16:50.601
  • It's enough to help us as descendants of adam to engage in
  • 00:16:50.601 --> 00:16:53.871
  • The eternal kingdom of god if we would like to.
  • 00:16:53.871 --> 00:16:56.240
  • That will require us to humble ourselves, to submit our
  • 00:16:56.240 --> 00:16:58.409
  • Intellect to him.
  • 00:16:58.409 --> 00:17:00.211
  • I want you to use your brain.
  • 00:17:00.211 --> 00:17:01.546
  • You'll need all the capacity god's given you to fulfill
  • 00:17:01.546 --> 00:17:03.314
  • Your assignment.
  • 00:17:03.314 --> 00:17:05.716
  • But i'm willing to just--i'm just willing to go out on a limb
  • 00:17:05.716 --> 00:17:07.919
  • And say god's probably smarter than me.
  • 00:17:07.919 --> 00:17:11.756
  • Look at 1 corinthians 15: "listen, i tell you a mystery:
  • 00:17:11.756 --> 00:17:15.393
  • We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed--in a flash,
  • 00:17:15.393 --> 00:17:19.664
  • In the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.
  • 00:17:19.664 --> 00:17:22.166
  • The trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised
  • 00:17:22.166 --> 00:17:24.235
  • Imperishable, and we will be changed.
  • 00:17:24.235 --> 00:17:27.305
  • The perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable,
  • 00:17:27.305 --> 00:17:31.242
  • And the mortal with immortality."
  • 00:17:31.242 --> 00:17:34.278
  • That's one of the most exciting thoughts that in the twinkling
  • 00:17:34.278 --> 00:17:36.747
  • Of an eye, in the--in the flash of an eye, we will be changed.
  • 00:17:36.747 --> 00:17:42.553
  • Come on.
  • 00:17:42.553 --> 00:17:44.555
  • People, you know, i mean, pastor, i'm just--
  • 00:17:44.555 --> 00:17:45.890
  • That's why--what sparked this--
  • 00:17:45.890 --> 00:17:47.291
  • I'm so anxious, pastor.
  • 00:17:47.291 --> 00:17:49.127
  • What will we do?
  • 00:17:49.127 --> 00:17:50.695
  • I don't know exactly, but i know the outcome.
  • 00:17:50.695 --> 00:17:52.530
  • I'm gonna be changed.
  • 00:17:52.530 --> 00:17:55.399
  • Come on.
  • 00:17:55.399 --> 00:18:00.204
  • The rapture will be followed secondly by the judgment
  • 00:18:04.308 --> 00:18:06.577
  • Of christians.
  • 00:18:06.577 --> 00:18:09.313
  • As christ followers, we will face an evaluation.
  • 00:18:09.313 --> 00:18:13.784
  • 2 corinthians 5:10 says: "we must all appear," we must
  • 00:18:13.784 --> 00:18:16.921
  • All appear.
  • 00:18:16.921 --> 00:18:19.257
  • If we're gonna all appear, who doesn't have to appear?
  • 00:18:19.257 --> 00:18:24.362
  • No one, we're all going to appear, "before the judgment
  • 00:18:24.362 --> 00:18:27.165
  • Seat of christ, that each one may receive what is due him for
  • 00:18:27.165 --> 00:18:30.835
  • The things done while in the body, whether good or bad."
  • 00:18:30.835 --> 00:18:35.606
  • In the new testament, the judgment--there's more than one
  • 00:18:35.606 --> 00:18:37.475
  • Judgment presented.
  • 00:18:37.475 --> 00:18:39.443
  • There's the judgment seat of christ, there's the great white
  • 00:18:39.443 --> 00:18:41.445
  • Throne judgment, and the key to the judgment is understanding
  • 00:18:41.445 --> 00:18:44.649
  • The judgment seat.
  • 00:18:44.649 --> 00:18:45.983
  • That's what denotes the authority of that judgment.
  • 00:18:45.983 --> 00:18:48.920
  • This particular scenario, as i understand it, is the judgment
  • 00:18:48.920 --> 00:18:51.522
  • Of believers.
  • 00:18:51.522 --> 00:18:53.457
  • And we will all face an evaluation.
  • 00:18:53.457 --> 00:18:56.294
  • Everything about us will be totally known.
  • 00:18:56.294 --> 00:18:58.095
  • There's nothing--nothing's gonna be hidden.
  • 00:18:58.095 --> 00:19:00.798
  • If you'll start to meditate on that, if you'll make room in
  • 00:19:00.798 --> 00:19:03.434
  • Your imagination, again, it's not a threat.
  • 00:19:03.434 --> 00:19:06.103
  • If you understand, god knows the thoughts and the intents of our
  • 00:19:06.103 --> 00:19:09.373
  • Heart, not what we say, that it helps us to begin to lead a more
  • 00:19:09.373 --> 00:19:14.645
  • Open life before the lord and before one another.
  • 00:19:14.645 --> 00:19:17.615
  • Otherwise, we're devious and conniving and carnal and
  • 00:19:17.615 --> 00:19:22.720
  • Manipulative, and all those things.
  • 00:19:22.720 --> 00:19:25.122
  • You can be all those things and be a christ follower, did you
  • 00:19:25.122 --> 00:19:27.458
  • Know that?
  • 00:19:27.458 --> 00:19:29.427
  • Isn't that uncomfortable?
  • 00:19:29.427 --> 00:19:31.729
  • Or you can begin to crucify your carnal nature and yield your own
  • 00:19:31.729 --> 00:19:36.100
  • Self and recognize that god knows your thoughts and intents,
  • 00:19:36.100 --> 00:19:39.570
  • And you will give an account of them.
  • 00:19:39.570 --> 00:19:42.540
  • Wow, not a threat.
  • 00:19:42.540 --> 00:19:44.008
  • Again, it's a--i learned this, i've told you,
  • 00:19:44.008 --> 00:19:46.844
  • From "the people's court."
  • 00:19:46.844 --> 00:19:48.179
  • Remember "the people's court" with judge wapner?
  • 00:19:48.179 --> 00:19:49.547
  • That's before judge judy and all the other people.
  • 00:19:49.547 --> 00:19:52.683
  • I was a kid, you know, and i used to--at the end, he would
  • 00:19:52.683 --> 00:19:55.620
  • Hear the people make their arguments, and he always
  • 00:19:55.620 --> 00:19:58.222
  • Rendered judgment in favor of somebody.
  • 00:19:58.222 --> 00:20:00.558
  • He never rendered judgment against somebody.
  • 00:20:00.558 --> 00:20:02.159
  • He was for the plaintiff or the defendant.
  • 00:20:02.159 --> 00:20:05.196
  • And i watched it enough to figure out judgment could be
  • 00:20:05.196 --> 00:20:07.098
  • Good for you, like the one he pronounced judgment for, they
  • 00:20:07.098 --> 00:20:10.601
  • Were always happy.
  • 00:20:10.601 --> 00:20:12.770
  • So, i want--we want to imagine that we prepare ourselves so
  • 00:20:12.770 --> 00:20:15.806
  • That when we appear before the king, we walk away going, "yes!"
  • 00:20:15.806 --> 00:20:21.846
  • Romans 8:1 says: "there is no condemnation for those who are
  • 00:20:21.846 --> 00:20:24.782
  • In christ jesus."
  • 00:20:24.782 --> 00:20:26.150
  • It's not a judgment of condemnation.
  • 00:20:26.150 --> 00:20:27.785
  • It's not a judgment of destiny.
  • 00:20:27.785 --> 00:20:29.320
  • It's an evaluation for what you've done with your life.
  • 00:20:29.320 --> 00:20:33.891
  • Which that calls into question some of the attitudes that we
  • 00:20:33.891 --> 00:20:36.994
  • Recognize are not the best, that we have to cultivate.
  • 00:20:36.994 --> 00:20:39.363
  • Some of the--you know, "how much do i have to volunteer?
  • 00:20:39.363 --> 00:20:41.365
  • How often do i have to attend?"
  • 00:20:41.365 --> 00:20:45.036
  • You know, "do i tithe off the net or the gross?"
  • 00:20:45.036 --> 00:20:48.372
  • I mean, some of the questions we ask give a little window into
  • 00:20:48.372 --> 00:20:51.042
  • What we're wrestling with.
  • 00:20:51.042 --> 00:20:59.283
  • So, it isn't a judgment of condemnation.
  • 00:20:59.283 --> 00:21:01.052
  • John says that everything that isn't righteous is sinful, that
  • 00:21:01.052 --> 00:21:06.557
  • There's no middle ground.
  • 00:21:06.557 --> 00:21:07.892
  • It seems to me that in contemporary american
  • 00:21:07.892 --> 00:21:09.393
  • Christendom, we've kind of created a third lane.
  • 00:21:09.393 --> 00:21:12.363
  • And i understand that to be really a deception of the enemy.
  • 00:21:12.363 --> 00:21:15.966
  • What we engage in day in and day out is either righteous
  • 00:21:15.966 --> 00:21:18.502
  • Or ungodly.
  • 00:21:18.502 --> 00:21:20.805
  • And we shouldn't imagine that there's this third lane.
  • 00:21:20.805 --> 00:21:23.574
  • I want to spend my life engaged in righteousness.
  • 00:21:23.574 --> 00:21:27.912
  • And that has little to do with ministry or pulpits or sermons.
  • 00:21:27.912 --> 00:21:30.748
  • It's the--it's what you give your heart to, it's what you
  • 00:21:30.748 --> 00:21:33.851
  • Give your talent to.
  • 00:21:33.851 --> 00:21:35.219
  • It's what you give your energy to and your thoughts to and your
  • 00:21:35.219 --> 00:21:37.254
  • Emotions to.
  • 00:21:37.254 --> 00:21:40.458
  • I keep inviting you and people and whoever will listen, away
  • 00:21:40.458 --> 00:21:43.694
  • From this segmented compartmentalized life
  • 00:21:43.694 --> 00:21:46.063
  • Where--you know, you visit church and you kind of pull that
  • 00:21:46.063 --> 00:21:49.433
  • Together for a few minutes and you get your godly face on and
  • 00:21:49.433 --> 00:21:53.137
  • Then you walk out of there and phew, you know, "i'm glad to
  • 00:21:53.137 --> 00:21:54.939
  • Have that out of the way."
  • 00:21:54.939 --> 00:21:56.307
  • It's like--you know, the best part of going to the gym
  • 00:21:56.307 --> 00:21:57.908
  • Is leaving.
  • 00:21:57.908 --> 00:21:59.243
  • Right?
  • 00:21:59.243 --> 00:22:00.578
  • I always walk out of the gym with more energy than i walk in.
  • 00:22:00.578 --> 00:22:03.948
  • And if they had a camera on me going into the gym at, you know,
  • 00:22:03.948 --> 00:22:06.384
  • However early in the morning, i'm like, yeah, i'm here.
  • 00:22:06.384 --> 00:22:09.320
  • Is god not good?
  • 00:22:09.320 --> 00:22:12.256
  • But when i leave--i mean, i may be wobbly and trembly, but i'm
  • 00:22:12.256 --> 00:22:16.360
  • Like, i got some hope.
  • 00:22:16.360 --> 00:22:18.763
  • Done with that for 24 hours.
  • 00:22:18.763 --> 00:22:21.966
  • Well, i wish i had cameras when we come to church, because we
  • 00:22:21.966 --> 00:22:24.335
  • Tend to come in late.
  • 00:22:24.335 --> 00:22:27.671
  • I mean, we come in hot.
  • 00:22:27.671 --> 00:22:31.008
  • Right?
  • 00:22:31.008 --> 00:22:32.343
  • But we leave on purpose.
  • 00:22:32.343 --> 00:22:35.146
  • And there's always a segment of the group that anticipates the
  • 00:22:35.146 --> 00:22:38.649
  • Ending, and you're gonna be ahead.
  • 00:22:38.649 --> 00:22:41.752
  • Like when i say let's pray, you're moving.
  • 00:22:41.752 --> 00:22:45.089
  • I've been here for the majority, let's go.
  • 00:22:45.089 --> 00:22:47.558
  • Beat the baptist's to shoney's.
  • 00:22:47.558 --> 00:22:49.260
  • Come on.
  • 00:22:49.260 --> 00:22:52.129
  • And i wanna learn to reconcile that my whole life is lived
  • 00:22:56.267 --> 00:23:00.571
  • Before the lord.
  • 00:23:00.571 --> 00:23:03.340
  • And be happy about that.
  • 00:23:03.340 --> 00:23:04.675
  • Now, that's a learned thing, that's not intuitive
  • 00:23:04.675 --> 00:23:06.410
  • Or automatic.
  • 00:23:06.410 --> 00:23:09.613
  • I put one passage from 1 corinthians 3.
  • 00:23:09.613 --> 00:23:11.382
  • I thought it was helpful.
  • 00:23:11.382 --> 00:23:12.750
  • "no one can lay any foundation."
  • 00:23:12.750 --> 00:23:15.419
  • Paul's writing this to a church, "then the foundation is already
  • 00:23:15.419 --> 00:23:18.622
  • Laid, which is jesus."
  • 00:23:18.622 --> 00:23:20.891
  • That's our access to the kingdom of god, that's our status in the
  • 00:23:20.891 --> 00:23:23.928
  • Kingdom of god, that's our passport into the kingdom
  • 00:23:23.928 --> 00:23:26.363
  • Of god.
  • 00:23:26.363 --> 00:23:27.731
  • None of us are gonna add to that.
  • 00:23:27.731 --> 00:23:29.567
  • But once you've received that gift, the remainder of your life
  • 00:23:29.567 --> 00:23:32.970
  • Is an expression of the value you attach to that gift.
  • 00:23:32.970 --> 00:23:38.509
  • And he describes that,
  • 00:23:38.509 --> 00:23:39.844
  • "if any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver,
  • 00:23:39.844 --> 00:23:42.246
  • Costly stones, wood, hay, or straw--"
  • 00:23:42.246 --> 00:23:45.349
  • They're two very different categories.
  • 00:23:45.349 --> 00:23:46.951
  • One has great value, even if it's a relatively small
  • 00:23:46.951 --> 00:23:51.522
  • Amount physically.
  • 00:23:51.522 --> 00:23:52.857
  • The other can have great value, but it takes
  • 00:23:52.857 --> 00:23:54.525
  • Enormous quantities.
  • 00:23:54.525 --> 00:23:57.461
  • You know, a handful of precious stones, you could buy a barn
  • 00:23:57.461 --> 00:24:00.431
  • Full of hay.
  • 00:24:00.431 --> 00:24:03.434
  • "his work will be shown for what it is, because the day," it's
  • 00:24:03.434 --> 00:24:06.971
  • Describing the day of judgment, "will bring it to light.
  • 00:24:06.971 --> 00:24:09.473
  • It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the
  • 00:24:09.473 --> 00:24:12.176
  • Quality of each man's work.
  • 00:24:12.176 --> 00:24:14.211
  • If what he's built survives, he will receive his reward.
  • 00:24:14.211 --> 00:24:16.881
  • If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be
  • 00:24:16.881 --> 00:24:20.784
  • Saved, but only as one escaping through the flames."
  • 00:24:20.784 --> 00:24:25.489
  • You know, a lot of back and forth, a lot of debate, a lot of
  • 00:24:25.489 --> 00:24:28.325
  • Books written, a lot of theological posturing about your
  • 00:24:28.325 --> 00:24:32.296
  • Salvation and whether it's unassailable.
  • 00:24:32.296 --> 00:24:35.866
  • I think what's more helpful to live with is you can lose
  • 00:24:35.866 --> 00:24:38.202
  • Your rewards.
  • 00:24:38.202 --> 00:24:40.437
  • I don't want you to live with fear that you're gonna forfeit
  • 00:24:40.437 --> 00:24:42.573
  • Your salvation if you have a wrong thought or you say the
  • 00:24:42.573 --> 00:24:44.808
  • Wrong word.
  • 00:24:44.808 --> 00:24:46.210
  • But i do want us to live with the awareness that we could make
  • 00:24:46.210 --> 00:24:49.847
  • Choices in such a way that we would cause our lives to
  • 00:24:49.847 --> 00:24:52.816
  • Be inconsequential.
  • 00:24:52.816 --> 00:24:56.554
  • And i would invite you away from that.
  • 00:24:56.554 --> 00:24:58.155
  • The--this judgment scene is a very different scene than the
  • 00:24:58.155 --> 00:25:00.958
  • Great white throne.
  • 00:25:00.958 --> 00:25:02.326
  • We'll look at that in another place.
  • 00:25:02.326 --> 00:25:05.362
  • Another thing that that we face between here and the return of
  • 00:25:05.362 --> 00:25:07.898
  • The king is the emergence of the antichrist and his defeat.
  • 00:25:07.898 --> 00:25:15.039
  • You can't defeat him unless he's emerged into a very
  • 00:25:15.039 --> 00:25:17.141
  • Powerful position.
  • 00:25:17.141 --> 00:25:18.475
  • You wouldn't defeat somebody that was already in the shadows
  • 00:25:18.475 --> 00:25:20.177
  • And weak.
  • 00:25:20.177 --> 00:25:21.845
  • So, it kind of presupposes one or the other.
  • 00:25:21.845 --> 00:25:25.316
  • And there's some confusion around it because the bible
  • 00:25:25.316 --> 00:25:27.451
  • Talks about antichrist in a variety of ways.
  • 00:25:27.451 --> 00:25:30.588
  • In 1 john, we kind of get probably the clearest
  • 00:25:30.588 --> 00:25:33.090
  • Succinct view.
  • 00:25:33.090 --> 00:25:34.425
  • It talks about the spirit of antichrist being in the earth.
  • 00:25:34.425 --> 00:25:38.195
  • Antichrist carries with it two meanings.
  • 00:25:38.195 --> 00:25:39.930
  • It means in opposition to, anti- is opposed to something, but it
  • 00:25:39.930 --> 00:25:44.602
  • Can also mean in place of.
  • 00:25:44.602 --> 00:25:46.704
  • You see, the heart of the spirit of antichrist, satan's objective
  • 00:25:46.704 --> 00:25:49.640
  • Is to be worshiped as christ is intended to be worshiped.
  • 00:25:49.640 --> 00:25:53.711
  • That's what cost him his place in heaven initially.
  • 00:25:53.711 --> 00:25:56.213
  • So, the spirit of antichrist opposes the purposes of jesus in
  • 00:25:56.213 --> 00:26:00.451
  • The earth, but it also tries to attract the worship and the
  • 00:26:00.451 --> 00:26:03.687
  • Adulation and the priorities that jesus deserves.
  • 00:26:03.687 --> 00:26:09.259
  • So, you shouldn't always think of the antichrist in terms of
  • 00:26:09.259 --> 00:26:11.562
  • Something beastly, sometimes it's something that's very
  • 00:26:11.562 --> 00:26:14.064
  • Attractive and it'll capture your heart.
  • 00:26:14.064 --> 00:26:16.066
  • [music]
  • 00:26:16.066 --> 00:26:20.104
  • Allen: you know, i don't believe the primary objective in reading
  • 00:26:21.538 --> 00:26:24.575
  • Our bible or even the pursuit of our faith is informational.
  • 00:26:24.575 --> 00:26:28.045
  • I like to learn, but i believe the ultimate objective
  • 00:26:28.045 --> 00:26:30.414
  • Is transformation.
  • 00:26:30.414 --> 00:26:32.282
  • We've got a tool i think it'll help, it's called "lessons
  • 00:26:32.282 --> 00:26:34.518
  • From paul."
  • 00:26:34.518 --> 00:26:35.853
  • The apostle paul is one of my heroes.
  • 00:26:35.853 --> 00:26:37.521
  • In the face of unyielding persecution and opposition, some
  • 00:26:37.521 --> 00:26:41.091
  • Tremendous physical suffering, just awful things, multiple
  • 00:26:41.091 --> 00:26:45.129
  • Assassination attempts, he remains unflinching in his
  • 00:26:45.129 --> 00:26:49.066
  • Advocacy for jesus of nazareth.
  • 00:26:49.066 --> 00:26:50.734
  • He knows the power of god.
  • 00:26:50.734 --> 00:26:52.102
  • It says god did extraordinary miracles through paul.
  • 00:26:52.102 --> 00:26:55.272
  • Well, i wanna learn those lessons.
  • 00:26:55.272 --> 00:26:56.640
  • I wanna be transformed by them, so i can stand in this season
  • 00:26:56.640 --> 00:27:00.010
  • For the purposes of god in my life.
  • 00:27:00.010 --> 00:27:01.578
  • So, we put together this devotional, it's 90 days, some
  • 00:27:01.578 --> 00:27:04.448
  • Portions from paul that are favorites of mine, some
  • 00:27:04.448 --> 00:27:07.217
  • Journaling space, some prayers.
  • 00:27:07.217 --> 00:27:08.852
  • It'll help us be changed.
  • 00:27:08.852 --> 00:27:10.721
  • I wanna pray for you that these 90 days will be transformational
  • 00:27:10.721 --> 00:27:13.724
  • In your life.
  • 00:27:13.724 --> 00:27:15.092
  • Father, help us not just be hearers but to be doers of
  • 00:27:15.092 --> 00:27:17.327
  • Your word.
  • 00:27:17.327 --> 00:27:18.662
  • May the spirit of god bring transformation to each of us.
  • 00:27:18.662 --> 00:27:21.265
  • In jesus's name, amen.
  • 00:27:21.265 --> 00:27:23.300
  • [music]
  • 00:27:24.468 --> 00:27:29.239